


The Wedding Planner

by Kelkat9



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Wedding Planner, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-24 13:52:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13812531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelkat9/pseuds/Kelkat9
Summary: Inspired by the movie The Wedding Planner. Rose Tyler is a wedding planner with A Smith Affair. She has just landed the wedding of the year, Joan Redfern and her fiance Dr. John Smith. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned when she realizes Joan's fiance is a mysterious stranger she met and knew as the Doctor. Will the wedding happen? Will hearts be broken? Will Rose's assistant Donna and the Doctor's friend, Jack, have anything to say about this?





	1. Chapter 1

The garden was in full bloom, the delicate scent of honeysuckle wafting on the gentle breeze as people attired in formal wear danced and laughed. Waiters dressed in starched white and black weaved in and out of the crowd delivering gourmet delicacies and top shelf cocktails to guests. An elegantly dressed bride wearing a couture gown designed by the hottest London designer was smiling up at her debonair tuxedoed groom as they greeted friends, family and well wishers. The wedding and reception would be mentioned in the society papers as the event of the season. The ten tiered wedding cake dripping with Swarovski crystals and violet and silver swirls with orchids elegantly draped down the tiers would be raved about by all the guests. All and all, Rose Tyler was pleased.  
  
This wedding was her ticket to success. She had worked so hard to make sure every detail was perfect. Every glitch had been solved before anyone knew, every petal of every flower in place and the bride and groom were kept in perfect harmony. Rose had managed the caterers, floral designer, cake artist and staging people like a general leading an army. She even coached the groomsman through his speech with a special earpiece so she could feed him his lines. Nothing was left to chance. 

Her employer, Sarah Jane Smith owner of A Smith Affair would be pleased and hopefully offer her a chance at a partnership. Rose knew Sarah Jane wanted to spend more time with her adopted son and Rose was ready to step up. She just had to show Sarah Jane she could do it.  
  
As Rose glided along the periphery of the party, continuing to direct staff here and there, she noticed a couple that seemed out of place. Her eyes met those of an older woman who smiled and inclined her head and Rose smoothed her pale pink, silk tea length gown and walked over to them.  
  
The woman with short brown hair dressed in a tasteful, smart gray suit had intelligent grey eyes and smiled graciously. “Ms. Tyler, I must confess to being quite impressed.”  
  
“You were feeding the groomsman his speech,” an elderly, gray haired man dressed in an equally sharp navy suit mentioned as he reached for a flute of champagne. A younger blonde haired woman, dressed in a modern, dressy mint green Vivienne Westwood gown slapped his hand.  
  
“Father, really! This is someone’s wedding and we’re not even guests!” she said and looked at Rose apologetically. “Sorry, Joan Redfern and these are my parents, Harriet and James Redfern. We didn’t mean to crash the party but your assistant said it would be fine for us to stop by and see your work. I have to say, I love so many of the elements you have incorporated here. Not to mention, how flawlessly the event progressed.  
  
“You give my little girl whatever she wants, no expense spared,” James commented while he sipped the champagne. “Cristal?” he asked.   
  
“No, Tattinger. Exquisite isn’t it?” Rose responded smiling.    
  
“I'll be faxing you a list of the songs I'll be performing at the reception," Mr. Redfern noted with a glance at his wife. "And we don't want any of those mini egg roll things either. We’re expecting loads of important people. We've got an impression to make,” Mr. Redfern continued.  
  
“Daddy, we haven't even hired her yet and as previously discussed in detail, you won't be singing at the wedding,” Joan chastised her father.  
  
Rose’s assistant, Donna rushed over to her. “This is my assistant Donna Noble. Donna, these are the Redferns.” Rose introduced.  
  
“Oh we chatted earlier.” Donna said, smiling at them and then turned to Rose. “Rose, I need some input on the Bransons.”  
  
Rose raised her eyebrows. “Discretion, Donna,” Rose whispered and then looked apologetically at the Redferns who were looking impressed. Rose turned back to Donna who had a slight smirk on her face. “Donna, check my email. I’m sure you’ll find an attachment with the details.”  
  
“Oh yes, sorry,” Donna said, with at twinkle in her eyes as she rushed away.  
  
“I’m sorry, where were we?” Rose asked, knowing that name dropping may not be the best way to procure business but in this case it worked.  
  
“The Bransons?” Mr. Redfern asked with raised eyebrows.  
  
“Ms. Tyler, let’s get down to brass tacks shall way?” Harriet Redfern said firmly, ignoring her husband’s subtle comment. “We’re interested in your services for our daughter’s wedding. We want to hear what your vision is for our daughter’s event.” Mrs. Redfern asked, putting Rose on the spot.  
  
Rose didn’t back down. She loved a challenge. After observing Joan and her parents and what they focused on in this wedding, she quickly formulated a plan. 

“Well, not having met the groom and just based on my initial impression, I would say…an outdoor event." Her voice modulated with a melodic quality as she wove a magical tale.

"The Botanical Gardens, in the sculptural garden in particular…with an orchestra.  A mix of jazz and classical music softly setting the mood for an evening wedding with soft lighting, white, silk tents thin enough to see the stars.  She glanced up at the sky.  "Candlelight, Wedgewood…exotic trees imported from Bali. I'm thinking Gatsby but not a period wedding, just the spirit of that time.”  
  
When Rose looked at them, she knew by the dreamy expressions on their faces she’d nailed it. They were completely enchanted and hired her on the spot. She and Donna celebrated that night at her favorite diner over chips.  
  
“Did you see the look on his face when I mentioned Branson?” Donna exclaimed as she sipped her coffee. “I thought his eyes’d pop out!”  
  
“I know!” Rose declared. “You were brilliant! I mean, dead clever to come up with that on the fly!”  
  
Donna sat back and fluffed her hair. “Some of us just have it!”  Rose grinned back at her. 

"Really Donna, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”  
  
“Oh, fail miserably and fall on your arse while some bridezilla had you for supper,” Donna teased. Rose bit on her chip and laughed. 

“That’s not far from the truth. Seriously Donna, when I talk to Sarah Jane, I’ll be telling her how brilliant you are. If she makes me partner, I want you with me. You’ll stay with me won’t you?” Rose asked seriously.  
  
“ _If_ she makes you partner?” Donna retorted. Rose sipped her soda. 

“Right, when I make partner. I want you with me. With a raise of course.”   
  
“I knew I liked you Rose Tyler!” Donna said and clinked her coffee with Rose’s soda. “So wedding girl, what’s next? We gonna be planning anything for you soon?” Donna asked.  
  
“Donna, you know I’m too busy. Not that mum’s giving up, mind you. Honestly, she keeps on me about Mickey and grand babies.”  
  
“Well, you’re not getting any younger,” Donna reminded her. “Mickey’s nice but you need to be swept off your feet, not spending every night at the pub watching a match.”  
  
“Like that’s gonna happen. It’s not like either of us have romance knocking down our door,” Rose said wistfully.  
  
“Oi! I’ve got tons of romance in my life! After I dumped that loser Lance, I raised my standards. No more corporate smooth talkers with some black widow types on the side,” Donna said emphatically, thinking about her ex-fiancé who was cheating on her with a certain Lady Racnoss who had a reputation for losing husbands under mysterious circumstances.   
  
Rose looked at Donna sympathetically. Donna was special and deserved only the best. Not some louse like Lance. 

“So whose this bloke whose made such an impression?”  
  
“Lee,” Donna said with a dreamy look on her face.  
  
“What? The caterer?” Rose asked, thinking about the tall, shy, dark haired stuttering man who made exquisite meals that were as beautiful to look at as they were to eat.  
  
“Personal chef! And he’s sweet and romantic. He made strudel for me and brings me lunch,” Donna informed her and smiled. “And oh can he cook!”  
  
Rose burst into giggles. “Donna!”  
  
After dinner, Rose walked back to her apartment thinking about Donna and Lee along with this new opportunity with Sarah Jane. Maybe she didn’t have her own romantic chef but she had her job and she was good at it. Mickey…well, he was Mickey, sweet, safe but that’s where it ended. She loved him but wasn’t in love with him. She sighed. He deserved better than her and anyway, she was focused on her job now, not marriage and certainly not marriage to him.  
  
As she crossed the park, she heard a noise. She pulled her coat around her and walked faster, happy to have changed from her designer shoes into trainers as she increased her pace. There was shuffling in some bushes and she reached into her pocket to try and find her pepper spray. Suddenly, a tall figure in a long tan coat jumped out at her grabbed her hand and said “Run!”  
  
Before she knew what was happening, she was running beside the tall, lean good looking man with gorgeous hair, his coat flaring about him. She could hear someone chasing them but didn’t look behind her, just kept running. Eventually, they made their way across the park and down a street before she screeched to a halt, twisting her ankle on a curb and yanking him back. He came to a halt still holding her hand and looked at her with chocolate brown eyes reflecting the street light.  
  
“Scuse me, why exactly are we running?” Rose demanded as she limped and then looked pointedly at their joined hands before pulling her had away.  
  
“You’re hurt!” he exclaimed and dropped down to his knees running his long finger over calf and ankle, gently prodding beneath her stockinged foot. Rose shivered a bit as she gazed down at the tender expression on his face. The conversation she had with Donna about being swept off her feet was ringing in her ears as the handsome stranger looked up at her from his position on the ground, his hands still on her ankle. Rose’s breath caught. _Oh, but he’s gorgeous_ , she couldn’t help thinking.  
  
“Just a twist. You should be fine. I’m the Doctor by the way,” he announced as he popped up.  
  
“The Doctor?” Rose asked. “Just the Doctor?”  
  
“Yep!” he said popping his p’s,” hands shoved in his coat pockets.  
  
“Is that supposed to sound impressive?” Rose asked.  
  
“I dunno sort of,” he replied with a shrug.  
  
Rose burst into a laugh and he smiled at her.  
  
“Rose Tyler,” she finally responded back. She knew she shouldn’t be handing her name out to stranger like this but something about him just made her trust him.  
  
“Nice to meet you, Rose Tyler,” he said, shaking her hand as her name rolled off his tongue.  
  
“So Doctor, wanna tell me why you just pulled me out of that park and we ran for our lives?”  
  
“Well,” he said and grinned at her. “There may have been a few unsavory types in the park tonight who might have had their evil plans thwarted and maybe were looking to get a little pay back at whoever was in their way,” he said and rocked back on his heels, hands in his pockets.  
  
“You just happened to be there looking out for innocent people strolling through the park and decided to be a super hero?” Rose asked a little suspiciously although she wasn’t as irritated as she was pretending. He was a bit fit and had a rather nice smile and didn’t look like a mugger.  
  
“Oh no, no, no. No super hero here. Wellll, maybe a little if star gazing is a super power. That’s what I was doing, star gazing in the park.”   
  
“So, while looking at the stars you saw a group of thugs harassing people and stepped in?” Rose asked, looking at this thin, geeky type man dressed in a brown pin striped suit who didn’t look all that tough.   

“Oh I may have warned a few potential victims off and caused a distraction…sort of,” he said while tugging on his ear.  Rose grinned. 

“Rescuing damsels in the distress while star gazing in the park were you?”  
  
He smiled at her brightly. “Oh yes! Perfect night to observe the perseid meteor shower and I never turn my back on a damsel in distress.”  
  
“I see. Well, guess I should thank you for saving me from being robbed and all,” she acknowledged, noting that he had a nice smile and how romantic this all was, a handsome stranger whisking in to save her from a horrible fate. Donna would be impressed.  
  
“Oh, you’re welcome. No problem really. Um, we should probably not stand around waiting for them, you know?”  
  
Rose nodded and without another word he reached for her hand and they were walking together down the road talking quietly. He had amazing stories and Rose was enchanted. Surprisingly, Rose just felt like she clicked with him and he kept her smiling and laughing the whole way, their hands firmly grasped between them. It was as if holding his hand came naturally to her and felt right. Finally, they neared her area of town. 

“Look Doctor whoever you are thanks but I was on my way home,” she explained and started tugging at her hand.  
  
“Oh, all right. You win, I’ll walk you home then. Can’t have a jeopardy friendly woman like you walking about all by yourself. Speaking of which, why were you walking by yourself so late at night?” he asked.  
  
“Just a long day at work,” Rose replied. “And you, star gazing alone in a park known for trouble? You do that often. I mean, is that what you are…an astronomer?”  
  
“Oh I’m a bit of everything! Astronomy, physicist, mathematician, biologist, teacher…You name it and I’m an expert of it.”  
  
Rose looked at him and again couldn’t help but smile. He was so charming and she just felt drawn to him. 

“Right, so academic then. Well, Doctor this is my stop at this building here,” Rose said indicating a tall building next to them. “Thanks again for the rescue.”  
  
“Oh, no problem! Any time. I mean if you need someone to walk you home again and I happen to be you know star gazing in the park, I’d be happy to, you know…” he said nervously.  
  
“Thanks! I’d like that. Um, see ya around then,” she said as she backed into her building.  
  
“Oh, I certainly hope so!” he said, smiling and nodding his head as he turned to walk down the street. Rose closed the door and started walking up the steps to her apartment.   
  
“Who was that?” Mickey called down from several floors up as Rose walked up to her flat.   
  
“Oh, just the Doctor,” she said as she contemplated their walk home. She reached into her coat pocket and felt a card. She pulled it out and it was a very simple white card with the name “Doctor John Smith, PH.D. with a mobile number and no other information. She wondered how he snuck that in there and smiled. She passed Mickey who was frowning at her. 

“Yeah, well I didn’t like the look of him,” he said, trying to sound tough. Rose rolled her eyes. 

“Good night, Mickey,” she said as she closed the door to her flat with a click. 

No doubt she would be hearing from her mum in the morning after Mickey reported how late she had arrived home and that a strange man had dropped her off. Somehow, the expected motherly inquisition didn't bother her. Something had changed. Maybe it was the Redfern wedding and the opportunity it provided to impress Sarah Jane or maybe it was a handsome stranger who had appeared from no where like some gallant knight to walk her home, but Rose felt happy. She went to sleep that night feeling on top of the world.  



	2. Chapter 2

“Sarah Jane, you know I bring in more business than anyone else here and the high end clients too. This Redfern wedding is going to be big and I know we’ll get good press from it,” Rose said while sitting across from Sarah Jane in Sarah Jane’s large windowed office.

Sarah Jane Smith was a middle aged, smart business woman who had fallen into the wedding planning business. She had never married but had a keen sense for order and suppressing chaos. She had stepped in when her sister’s wedding planner bailed at the last minute leaving a mess behind. Sarah Jane had not only organized it in a manner of days but made an impression on everyone from staff to caterers to guests. At the end of the wedding, she realized the immense satisfaction she had at seeing everything come off without a hitch and the joy it brought so many people. She left her boring job at the newspaper where she was writing a lifestyle column and immediately opened her wedding planning business.

It had been slow but not for long. Sarah Jane was smart and friendly and soon had networked herself among wedding vendors and made an impression at several bridal expositions. Within a year she was considered the best up and coming party planner and was soon hiring assistants.

Rose Tyler was her first hire. Rose didn’t have a college degree but was enthusiastic and not afraid to dive into any problem. Sarah Jane appreciated that and no matter what problem she threw at Rose, Rose never backed down and always found a way to solve it. Soon, the two of them were like sisters and worked to make A Smith Affair one of the top party planners in the city. Sarah Jane helped polish Rose and taught her everything she knew about business.

Now, Sarah Jane sat opposite Rose and stared at her young protégé. Truth be told, Sarah Jane was ready to take a break and spend time with her adopted son, Luke. She just wasn’t sure if Rose was ready. She wanted to believe it and knew Rose had the enthusiasm but…she still wasn’t sure if she was ready to let go of control. A Smith Affair was her life.

“Rose, I know how hard you’ve worked and the Redfern wedding is certainly a coo for you but, I’m not sure if I’m ready for a partner,” Sarah Jane said politely and sipped her tea out of a fine porcelain cup.

“But Sarah Jane, I know I can do this. The Carrolton wedding was just the start and you know how happy they were and it’s what led to the Redfern wedding. I could name half a dozen others in the last year that were just as successful,” Rose said as she held her own cup.

Sarah Jane smiled. “True. You did a marvelous job. Both you and Donna did but Redfern is your first at this particular level of society. It’s not that I don’t think you can do it, it’s just people like the Redferns can be so demanding and have already asked to meet with me.”

Rose deflated at this news. She was sure they were impressed and she thought she had a good rapport with them. Sarah Jane noticed this and immediately sat up.

“Rose, it’s not you. They loved you and were very complimentary of your ideas. It’s about reputation. You’re still building yours in this market. People are only starting to recognize the name Rose Tyler. I promise you, your time is coming.” Rose looked up at her.

“All I’m asking is for you to think about it. I know you want to spend more time with Luke. I could take up some of the slack for you,” Rose said persuasively.

Sarah Jane looked out one of the windows. She had to acknowledge Rose had a point and reached a decision.

“All right. Here’s what we’ll do. The Redfern wedding is entirely your responsibility. Let’s see how you do and we’ll talk partnership afterward.”

Rose smiled broadly. “Oh thank you, Sarah Jane! You won’t regret this. I promise, it will be a smashing success and I won’t let you down.”

“I’m not promising anything, Rose. Only that your name will be attached to this and if it goes well, I wouldn’t mind a bit of a break. You’re right. I would like some time to spend with Luke.” Sarah Jane looked at her watch. “Now then, off with you. I know you have a full day as do I.”

Rose left Sarah Jane’s office smiling and looked over at Donna nodding before leaving on her errands. As she worked through her day, she kept thinking about Dr. John Smith who came to her rescue. She’d kept his card. Her mother had, of course, lectured her about strangers and walking home alone at night along with another jab at not getting airs and graces and how Mickey was sturdy and a sure thing who would never abandon her. The conversation ended with the standard _You’re not getting any younger and I’d like to be a grand before I die._

After her appointments early in the day, she met Donna for lunch and filled her in.

“Well, at least she didn’t say no,” Donna remarked as she enjoyed a salad. “And this Doctor sounds promising. I mean a doctor, Rose. Could be a catch, even if he is a bit of a nutter. A girl can look passed a few flaws if he’s a looker and rich.”

“Donna!” Rose chastised. “I don’t care about money. He was a bit foxy though,” Rose admitted with a grin.

Donna smiled knowingly and without Rose knowing it, knicked his business card. She rang him up and asked him to meet her and Rose at an outdoor film being shown in a local park. Later that afternoon, she told Rose.

“Donna, you didn’t!” Rose chastised her in a harsh whispered voice, looking around the office to make sure no one heard. She had just finished meeting with Sarah Jane and Joan Redfern to discuss the wedding and was working on the details when Donna told her what she’d done.

“Oh come on! It’s just a movie in a public place. If he’s a weirdo you can ditch him no problem. He didn’t sound too bad on the phone although he’s got quite the gob. You’ll have your work cut out for you shutting him up long enough for a snog!”

Rose plunked her face in hands.

“Donna, I can’t believe you did this.” Donna just grinned.

“Thank me tomorrow when you tell me all about it.”

“You’re not going?” Rose asked, her mouth slightly open.

“Course not, dumbo! It’s a date. He thinks I’ll be there and you go and say I couldn’t make it. Besides, Lee’s cooking me dinner.”

Rose sighed at the pleased look on Donna’s face and tried to focus on work and not on her upcoming date. The afternoon whizzed by quickly. Donna was soon prompting her to go primp for her date and pointing out how she should take her hair out of the polished chignon she typically wore at the office. She kept lecturing Rose about how men liked to run their fingers through a woman’s hair. Rose promptly reminded her that this was just a movie in the park and there would be no hair fondling. Donna just winked at her and left.

Rose arrived at the park a few minutes late and walked to the tree where they were supposed to meet. There was no sign of the Doctor. Rose couldn’t help but be disappointed. Despite fretting about this alleged date, part of her was looking forward to seeing him again. Suddenly, a brown blur dropped out of the tree near her.

“Hello again!” he said cheerfully as he straightened up and dusted off his brown pinstripe suit.

“Hello,” Rose said, a similar smile on her face. She looked up at the tree and back at the dashing man in front of her with sparkling brown eyes and really great artfully tousled hair. “So that your spot for star gazing?” she teased.

“Oh, no, no, no. Just examining a bit of moss. A bit rare this moss. Don’t normally see it London,” he babbled as he pulled out some glasses and looked up at the tree.

When he looked back at her, Rose thought she’d melted a bit. He definitely had the sexy geek thing going and the glasses just unfurled something deep inside of her, a melting warmth she hadn't felt in a long time, if ever. She was definitely have thoughts that had not crossed her mind in a while and none of them were about a date in a park.

“Donna couldn’t make it,” she finally spit out before she started drooling and embarrassing herself over her lusty thoughts.

“Oh,” he said, nodding his head. “Pity, was looking forward to meeting her. Seemed quite friendly. Well, friendly in a you will not attack my friend or I’ll slap you kind of way.” He frowned and scratched at his neck.  Rose burst out laughing.

“Yeah, that’s Donna. So where are we sitting?” She peered around noting the growing crowd.

He held out his hand and wiggled his fingers.  They walked hand in hand to a blue blanket on a small knoll not far from the screen. They settled down and he produced bottles of water and bananas, extoling the virtues of hydration and potassium. She deemed him a charming nutter and one she had no problem watching a movie with.

Ant the movie in questions was her one of her favorites: T _he Quiet Man_ with John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. The Doctor leaned in close, whispering into her ear about Marks of Queensbury Rules, the architecture and geology of Ireland not to mention a little bit of the history. Rose tried not to shiver at his proximity and lost herself in the pure cadence of his voice. 

Of course, she didn't dismiss he was quite knowledgeable and entertaining.  In fact, Rose had to admit he was handsome, intelligent, witty and respectful, just about perfect which worried her a little. He even liked her favorite treats, jelly babies.

“Here,” he offered her the bag. “I only eat the blue ones.”

“Seriously? Why only the blue ones?”

“Well, blue is good. The sky’s blue, the ocean’s blue, blueberries, blue whale, blue cheese…Although, I’m not overly found of blue cheese,” he babbled.

Rose felt her heart melt just a bit more. He was so adorable. How could she not fall for a someone who only ate blue jelly babies and looked so cute babbling about it like it was some deep esoteric topic.

After the movie, he walked her home when they ran across some musicians playing at the edge of the park. He swung her around and twirled her a bit not moving his feet much. Rose giggled.

“Call that dancing?” she asked laughing.

“It’s been a while. Not much for dancing, me.” Rose took his hands in hers and looked up at him mischievously. “Well sir, I don’t believe the world will implode if the Doctor dances.” He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling.

“Oh, I’ve got the moves but I wouldn’t want to boast.” Rose just grinned.

“You’ve got the moves, do ya? Well, show me your moves then,” she said flirtatiously as his eyes bored into hers. “I believe you'll find your feet at the end of your legs. You may care to move them,” she said throatily as they began to sway to the slow jazz tune being played.

As they moved, Rose felt his hand slide down to rest possessively at the small of her back, pulling her closer to him. She gazed into his eyes, her heart thumping as his mouth lowered to hers until…it started to rain and not just rain but pour until they both found themselves drenched in the rain storm.

He pulled away and looked up as Rose burst into giggles. He looked down at her and smiled. She was beautiful this Rose Tyler. He’d known from the minute she took his hand and raced down the street with him, her shoes tapping the pavement next to his. When she’d stopped and challenged him, questioning his motives with a bit of fire in her eyes, he’d felt something inside of himself responding to her. She’d been so easy to talk to as he’d walked her home and he hadn’t wanted to say goodnight to her. It had been impulse that he stuck his card in her pocket.

The next day when her assistant called him, he’d been delighted, thrilled really. He didn’t care if it had been three of them at the movie, he knew instinctively it would be a fun night. The fact that Donna had skipped out on the night hadn’t been a bad thing at all. Rose Tyler was clever and fun and had a zest for life he hadn’t always found in many women.

What woman would chat him up about the merits of blue jelly babies and then giggle about it. No one in the world he was presently inhabiting that’s for sure. No, presently he was being lectured about what he should be doing and how he needed to be more grounded and focused on a career. Running through the rain or dancing in the park would have been frowned upon.

Rose Tyler was a breath of fresh air to remind him of who he was and what he really wanted. The problem was he had a commitment, and had made promises to certain people. He couldn’t just run like he used to and that was the crux of his problem. He looked at the drenched blonde next to him laughing and dancing in the rain and longed for that spontaneity and life. 

The Doctor reached for her hand like the life saver it was for him. Rose thought he had saved her in that park but the truth was she had saved him, reminding him of what it meant to live and be alive. He would cherish this night and his time with this pink and yellow girl and envy anyone who was lucky enough to spend time with her.

He walked with her down the street, both of them dripping and shivering until he could hail a cab. Coward that he was, he said goodnight to her in the back of the cab kissing her on the forehead when what he really wanted was to feel her lips against his. He could tell she was disappointed but he was afraid and the timing was all wrong. As he drove off, he his mind pounded with his obligations, leaving him feeling heavy and trapped.

Rose was floating the next morning. Donna, of course, noticed right away.

“Well, spill!” she demanded.

Rose grinned. “He’s amazing. A bit of a nutter but amazing.”

“I knew it. Tell me everything!” Donna demanded. Rose summarized the evening. Donna rolled her eyes a few times but was genuinely happy for her friend.

“So, when are you seeing him again?”

“I dunno,” Rose mused as she played with a piece of her hair. “I have tons of work with this Redfern wedding. Speaking of which, we have to start work on the portfolio and I have meeting with Renaldo about the Wilson wedding, with George about the flowers and I’m meeting the Danburys at Clarice’s dance studio this evening.”

Donna shook her head. “So you’re not even gonna call him?” Rose smiled and sighed dreamily.

“Eventually, yeah. I think I am. Just have to get some of this stuff done ya know. Sides, have to be impressive on the Redfern weddin, remember?” Donna just shook her head and walked off to start their day. Rose, still feeling all glowy from her date, started her day with a new kind of pep. Nothing was like starting your day still floating after a fantastic date.

The day was filled with the typical drama, potential calamities, angry caterers and bridezillas. All of which, Rose handled with her typical finesse. As she walked into the dance studio to check on the Danburys, she was still in quite a good mood. As she checked a few things off of her portfolio while the Danburys glided across the studio, Joan Redfern walked up to her.

“Rose! It’s so good to see you! Are you here personally or is this for a wedding?”

“Joan, you look lovely this evening,” she complimented. “No dancing for me I’m afraid. Just helping a bride and groom get ready for their first dance.”

Suddenly, Joan smiled brightly while looking over Rose’s shoulder. “Oh, well I’m here with my fiancé, John. Allow me to introduce you.”

Rose turned around with a smile on her face which quickly wilted when she saw John. Joan’s fiancé, John was Rose’s Doctor. Her Doctor who just last night had danced with her in the rain. Rose felt her heart plummet as she saw the shocked expression on the Doctor’s face.


	3. Chapter 3

Joan remained oblivious to the drama before her, as she told her fiancé about how Rose was planning their wedding and how impressed she was with Rose’s skills.  
  
“Yes, I’m sure she’s quite impressive,” the Doctor acknowledged, staring at Rose and thinking about the previous night spent together at the movies.  
  
Rose did her best to regain her composure and quite formally said, “Nice to meet you, John. Congratulations. You…you don’t have to worry. I’ll see to it you have a lovely wedding.”  
  
Joan, still oblivious to the emotional tsunami around her, looked off across the room. “Oh, dear, that’s my maid of honor over there in need of assistance. Do excuse me. Rose, you don’t mind keeping John company, do you? His attention tends to wander a bit I’m afraid,” Joan said as she dashed off.  
  
Rose could barely look at him. Her stomach was doing flip flops and she was doing her best to tamp down on her emotions. The Doctor, for his part seemed just as tense standing next to her.  
  
“John is it. Guess she doesn’t call you Doctor now, does she,” Rose snipped finally.  
  
“No one but Joan calls me John, and I’m sorry.”  
  
“Sorry? For what, beinf a lyinf, cheatinf, no good wanker tryinfg to take advantage of me,” Rose said, whispering, hurt lacing her voice. He winced.  
  
“If you’re thinking I…” he started to say.  
  
“I’ll tell you what I’m thinking and it involves a machete and a pair of pliers,” she interrupted him, still staring at the student dancers mulling around the room.  
  
“That’s a bit harsh for something that just sort of happened and when I say something I mean something grand, brilliant and molto bene.”  
  
Rose's shoulders tensed so much she thought she'd snap. She knew he was too good. It wouldn’t be the first time a bloke had swept her away only to disappoint her. At least this time she wised up before she was left bruised and in debt like Jimmy Stones had done to her. Never again. She would never let a man blind her with lovely promises and a pretty face. She was Rose Tyler, professional wedding planner, about to become a partner in A Smith Affair and she wouldn’t allow this Doctor to ruin it for her.  
  
Joan hurried back over. “I’m sorry, Rose, I have an emergency at the hospital. One of my nurses called in sick and I have to cover for her. The Perils of being on call I’m afraid. Could you be a dear and make sure John continues with his lesson. He’s an absolute wreck and really needs some training. You don’t mind do you?” Joan asked.  
  
Rose tried not to flinch, gritted her teeth and nodded her head. “Of course, Joan. That’s what I’m here for,” she finally said as pleasantly as she could.  Joan smiled brilliantly at her. 

“Oh, you are a gem!” She looked at John. “Now you, Mr. Smith behave. You need to be able to dance at the wedding and don’t be rude to Rose,” Joan chastised and lifted her cheek for a kiss which John dutifully brushed upon her. Rose tried not to be ill at the sight. Although, part of her was glad that at least he didn’t kiss Joan on the lips. Rose tried to tamp down those feelings. The Doctor was engaged and her client. She needed to be professional.  
  
After Joan hurried away, Rose turned to him. “Well, John,” she said, enunciating his name, causing him to flinch. “It would appear you have a dance lesson.”   
  
Rose set down her portfolio and grabbed his hand, yanking him onto the dance floor just as Madame Clarice, the dance instructor called out “Come now, wallflowers, it is time for you to bloom!” in a heavy, French-accented voice.  
  
The Doctor had been shocked to see Rose. Seeing her next to Joan only drove home the difference between the two women and why he was so attracted to Rose. Joan was sophisticated, regimented, focused on polish and perfection while Rose was vivid, emotional and alive and as far from the society type as you could get. He swallowed hard as he wondered how he’d ended up in this situation to begin with. Rose tugged him onto the floor as the overzealous dance instructor tapped him on the shoulder and back, chastising him about posture. He flinched and looked at Rose who was glaring daggers at him.  
  
“What did you think you were doing?” she spat out while waltzing stiffly with him around the room.  
  
“What was I doing? Saving you in the park and walking you home. Nothing wrong with that,” he said defensively, but still with an air of charm.  
  
Rose narrowed her eyes. “And the movie?” He shrugged. 

“I was asked by your assistant, had free time, enjoy movies and thought why not? Could be a nice distraction from all this marriage rubbish.”  
  
“Marriage rubbish,” she repeated with gritted teeth. “You’re engaged. Do you understand what that means? Well of course you do, you’re the educated doctor,” Rose muttered. “You do know that when you’re engaged, you’re promising your life to your fiancé and that means helping her through this wedding rubbish as you call it. I mean what were you doing in a park or at the movies with me when you should be with her.”  
  
The Doctor was slightly annoyed. What gave this little blonde firecracker the right to lecture him. _Him_ , who had been strong armed into this marriage to begin with. _Him_ , who had been publicly put on the spot so he had to agree to a marriage he didn’t even believe in and forced to conform to some society approved construct. 

“Now see here, Ms. Tyler. I won’t be lectured to and least of all by a wedding planner. What I do with my time is my business. Joan has her life and I have mine. And, don’t look at me like that! We’re both professional adults and there’s no reason we can’t each have our own hobbies,” he lectured, sniffing disdainfully. “I like astronomy and movies and saving damsels who don’t even know they’re in the distress and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m innocent of any of the transgressions you’re insinuating.”  
  
“Innocent,” Rose snorted as she glided across the floor with him. “You are so not innocent. You’re the opposite of innocent. I mean, you danced with me as in a date and you never told me you were engaged!”  The Doctor stiffened. 

“First off, you asked me to dance and flirted quite outrageously, I might add, and you never asked.”  

Her face flushed, and she yanked him around the dance floor. 

“You flirted first,” she responded in a harsh whisper.  
  
“What?” he asked, voice pitching up, as they danced. “I did not. I was just…friendly and this is not a tango. It’s waltz so maybe you should loosen up a bit,” he said, commenting on her firm grip and almost violent tugging.  
  
“Oh, you’d know all about tangos and loosening women up I’ll bet. I know you’re kind. I can smell you a mile a way like chip shop frying up a new batch of chips.”  He scrunched up his face. 

“What? I do not smell like chips.”  
  
Rose rolled her eyes and was relieved when the dance lesson was over. She was almost embarrassed as Madame Clarice admonished the class on how they should be more like the Doctor and Rose who danced completely in sync and in harmony with one another. Rose snorted at the harmony comment. They were anything but in harmony with one another.  
  
“So, I guess I’ll be seeing you then,” the Doctor said as he fidgeted, stuffing his hands in his pockets, looking uncomfortable.  
  
“I thought you didn’t like this wedding rubbish, as you call it,” Rose answered as she picked up her coat and portfolio.  
  
“I’m told I have no choice. I was even given an agenda. Me! An agenda!” he said like it was the most revolting thing he’d ever encountered.  
  
“Well, I s’pose if that’s what Joan wants. I’ll do my best to make it as easy possible for you,” she said softly, her voice tinged with a slight bit of misery.  
  
His face softened when he saw her and how vulnerable she was. He really did hate himself a bit at causing her any distress. Although, if she was distressed, it meant that maybe she felt something for him. That lit a fire in him that he knew was wrong but couldn’t help it. Again, it drove home how miserable he’d been over the past few months being tied down and trotted around to various parties like some prize heifer. He loved a good party but not those stodgy, stuffy events where everyone smiled coldly at one another and no one had a good time. He’d always endeavored to escape and been chastised for it later. He often wondered why Joan stayed with him. Her parents weren’t even overly fond of him. They considered him tolerable due to his profession and the fact that he wore a tux magnificently and in his opinion, most impressively.  
  
Once again, he kicked himself for being such a coward and just allowing Joan to carry on with this wedding instead of sitting down and talking to her. They had known each other for years and been good friends. The romance had just happened by accident and it wasn’t exactly a passionate love affair. It was more the natural conclusion reached since they had been close friends for so long. It was safe, and that was about all.   
  
When he looked at Rose, he didn’t feel safe. He felt alive. She clashed with him and challenged him and oh her teasing smile. Especially, that flirtatious tongue of hers. What he wouldn’t give to…. But, no. He couldn’t think about that. He was engaged, almost married, confined to the marital prison, ball and chain, locked in, never to be free again. He sighed and looked at Rose. 

“Thank you for thinking of me, Rose. I promise, I’ll try to be respectful,” he said softly.  
  
She nodded and backed out and quickly ran to the elevator and shut the door as he tried to follow her. The trip home was full of misery for her. What was she going to do? She’d broken the most important rule of her job and on the most important client of her career. That night she barely slept a wink. Even Mickey, who seemed to wait for her to get home to vie for her attention, stayed away from her that night.  
  
The next morning, she trudged into the office and plunked down at her desk and just stared. Donna came up to her and shut the door to her office. 

“What happened to you?” she asked as she set down a cup of strong coffee in front of Rose. Rose looked up at her with misery in her eyes.  
  
“I’ve got to quit the Redfern wedding,” she stated with little emotion and then sipped her coffee.  
  
“What! No, you don’t. That’s our most important client and your ticket to success. There’s no reason for you to quit unless you broke the cardinal rule and that’s just ridiculous ‘cos I know you’d never fall in love with the groom,” Donna lectured.  
  
Rose looked at her with misery and guilt on her face. 

“Oh, no, you didn’t!” Donna exclaimed. “I mean you wouldn’t and what about your Doctor and feeling all floaty and happy?” Donna almost shouted.  
  
“No, course not. I’d never get emotionally involved. Never ever.” Rose stated and paused. She looked at Donna with fear in her eyes as she realized that she might actually feel something like love for him. After Donna stared at her pointedly, Rose continued. “It’s just…the groom…it’s the Doctor.”  
  
“Sorry, I’m confused,” Donna said as she sat down in a chair opposite Rose. “Did you say he’s a doctor or the Doctor as in your romantic swept in and saved you Doctor? He’s not the groom,” Donna said, shaking her head.  
  
“The Doctor is the groom. The groom is the Doctor,” Rose confessed miserably.  
  
“No way!” Donna exclaimed, her mouth hanging open. “The Doctor, your Doctor, is Joan Redfern’s fiancé!”   
  
Rose nodded miserably. “I’m in so much trouble, Donna.”  
  


*****************************

  
  
Meanwhile, across town another confession was happening in the loft of a certain handsome, business entrepreneur known throughout London as the debonair playboy millionaire, Jack Harkness.  
  
Jack had just handed his best friend, Dr. John Smith, a martini as said Doctor lay prostrate on Jack’s floor. 

“Let me get this straight,” Jack said as he mixed another drink. “Not only have you been corralled into marriage with the stunning and rich Joan Redfern who you love but are not in love with and plan to marry out of a sense of some moral duty which I still don’t get, you’ve now got the hots for your wedding planner?”  The Doctor gulped his martini and winced. 

“Yes, Jack, I'm in hell. And the hots, really?”  
  
Jack leaned back against the couch and looked down at his friend. He had warned the Doctor that Joan was getting serious and to set boundaries before it was too late. Next thing he knew, the Doctor was laying in misery on his floor in the very spot he was now laying, moaning about Joan’s family, coercion, misconstrued promises and wedding hell. Since then, Jack had watched his friend run away from as much obligation as he could while Joan basked in bridal preparation bliss. It wasn’t that Joan was a bad person. Quite the contrary, she was a sweetheart if a little more interested in the social scene, being proper and continuing the family line for good old dad. The poor Doctor had just been oblivious. To him, he and Joan were good friends with benefits. Nothing too serious.  
  
“I’m trying real hard not to laugh ‘cos this sounds like something I would do. Not you. So wedding planner Rose must be something to get you all wound up. Maybe I should give her ring and…distract her for you,” Jack mused as he sipped his own martini.   
The Doctor sat up and glared at Jack. 

“You stay away from Rose. She’s too good for the likes of you.”  
  
Jack grinned. “Oh you’ve got it bad!”  
  
The Doctor grimaced and flopped back on Jack’s plushly carpeted floor.   
  
“Listen, there’s an easy solution. Call it off with Joan and run off to Barcelona with Rose. Everything should blow over in a few months.”  
  
“I can’t do that, Jack. I won’t do that to Joan. It would devastate her and embarrass her family. Her father would probably hunt me down and hang me up on his wall like one of his stuffed trophies. I did mention he likes to hunt didn’t I?” Jack laughed. 

“Yeah, I think you did. I dunno, Doc. If you don’t love Joan, you shouldn’t marry her. It’s not fair to her.”  
  
“It’s not that I don’t love her, Jack. I’ve known Joan for years, since we were in college. It’s just, I’m not in love with her. I don’t have the same feelings as I do for…”  
  
Jack stopped his drink mid sip. And dropped to the floor next to the Doctor. 

“Doc, are you saying you’ve fallen in love with the wedding planner. Like in love and not in lust? The real deal?” Jack asked a bit more seriously.  
  
“Don’t be stupid, Jack! I only just met her. I couldn’t possibly be in love. We barely know each other,” the Doctor proclaimed as if he was trying to convince himself. He stared up at the ceiling as he contemplated this. Love was a strong word and yet his reaction to Rose had been quite strong. The thought of hurting her was a physical pain to him. More so than the thought of hurting Joan.   
  
Jack stared at his friend contemplatively. “Are you sure about this, Doc? I mean real sure? There’s still time, you know. You’re not married yet.”  The Doctor turned to Jack. 

“Oh, I think it is very too late. She hates me, Jack, and can you blame her?” the Doctor confessed miserably.   
  
Jack sat back as he watched his friend and contemplated this mixed up situation. In Jack’s mind, it was never too late. He just had to make sure that his friend was sure about this Rose Tyler. Jack also wanted to be sure about her and to make sure she was good enough for his friend. The Doctor was a special guy and needed a special girl. Jack never for a moment thought that girl was Joan. Actually, Jack may have had his eye on Joan for himself, not that he would ever tell the Doctor that.  
  


*****************************

  
  
“That two timing git!” Donna exploded and began pacing. “When I think that I was the one who called him and arranged that movie night! Oh, I should have known. He sounded way to perfect. Stupid, head in the stars, smooth talking skinny strip of nothing! Don’t you worry, Rose. We’ll handle him!”  
  
“No, Donna. You can’t. He’s our client, remember. We can’t say anything. We have to simply let this thing go.”  
  
“Go! He cheated on his fiancée with you!” Donna shouted.  
  
“Shhhh, keep it down. We’re not telling anyone about this. Promise me you’ll not tell. We have a reputation here and the surest way to get me sacked is to go off on him.”  
  
Donna sighed and paced over to a window. 

“Fine. I’ll keep quiet as long as you don’t quit this. Don’t let that cheating ponce ruin your chance at showing how good you are.” Rose looked at Donna and tears came to her eyes. She got up and hugged her. 

“Thanks, Donna. You’re the best and you’re right. I can do this. I’m a professional. I’m not gonna let some cheating groom get the best of me. I’m gonna do this and it’s gonna be the best wedding ever,” she affirmed and picked up her mobile.  
  
“What are you doin'?” Donna asked nervously.  
  
“Ringing Mickey.”  
  
“What! What for?” Donna asked, worried that Rose had been pushed over the edge.   
  
“Cos I need a distraction. If I’m with Micks then I can’t be whinging about Dr. Smith. Mickey is safe and he’ll keep me from doing something daft.”  
  
Donna shook her head. This was a recipe for disaster. Mickey wasn’t bad but he wasn’t right for Rose and with her being all emotional… Now was not the time to lead on that lug. He’d take it all the wrong way. Donna sighed. She was going to have to think this through. This wasn’t over until she said it was over.


	4. Chapter 4

The days that followed Rose’s discovery that the Doctor was the groom in the Redfern wedding were quite busy, and Rose planned it that way. She didn’t want to think too much about the Doctor or her feelings. She’d even been out with Mickey a couple of times, which thrilled her mother to no end.   
  
Unfortunately, Rose was bored stiff. Mickey seemed happy enough and loved having her with him, especially in front of his friends. Sitting in a pub while he and his friends shouted over a match was not something Rose enjoyed. She tried to explain that to Mickey, but her mum got wind and accused Rose of airs and graces and getting too far ahead of herself. She kept telling Rose to remember her roots and that she wasn’t one of her high-class clients.   
  
Rose was getting tired of her mother constantly lecturing her on this topic. She loved her mother and her friends from the estate where she’d grown up, but that didn’t mean it was wrong for her to want more. She wanted to make it on her own and be able to take care of her mum. She liked her job and learning new things. The more time she spent with Mickey, the more she worried she’d outgrown him. Donna was the first one to point this out. 

“Rose, I can’t believe you’re still going out with him,” Donna chastised.  
  
“Well, Mickey and I have known each other for ages. We grew up on the estate together and he’s real loyal. He’s never given up on me or betrayed me. He’s …sweet.”  
  
“There’s more to life than sweet, and you need to have something more in common that growing up on the same estate.”  
  
“Mum says I’m lucky to have him and that he’ll keep me grounded.”  
  
“Your mum’s afraid of losing you. She thinks you working here is taking you away from her. She sees Mickey as a way of making sure you don’t forget her,” Donna told her as gently as she could. Donna had met Jackie Tyler and could see the fear in her eyes. She was afraid of losing her daughter to success with Sarah Jane. It wasn’t that Jackie didn’t want Rose to make something of herself, but more about fearing Rose would embrace a new lifestyle and leave her mum behind.  
  
“Yeah, but Mickey wouldn’t hurt me. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He really does care, and he’s good to Mum.”  
  
“I’m telling you, Rose, there’s more to life than being sweet, dragging you to the pub every night and being nice to your mum. There’s love and passion and someone who wants to see you succeed and grow. I’ve seen him. He’s intimidated by your job. It’s why he won’t ever come have lunch with you and why he keeps making those snarky remarks about your working here.”  
  
“What snarky remarks?” Rose asked, ready to defend Mickey even if she agreed with Donna.  
  
“Well, when I dropped stuff off at your flat, he seemed to think that this job took up too much of your time and that you should spend more time at home. He didn’t see what was so good about helping rich people spend their money on useless things. I might have mentioned that the salary was worth it. Do you know he grimaced and mumbled something about some things being more important, like spending time with your bloke. As if your world needs to revolve around him! Lee doesn’t expect that. He’s more of a partner which is the way it should be.”  
  
Rose flinched. She did know Mickey didn’t like her career. They had even rowed over it. Her mum had taken Mickey’s side, of course. She didn’t know why Rose wanted to work if she married a bloke who wanted to take care of her so she didn’t have to. Her mum just didn’t understand. Rose sighed and looked at Donna’s concerned face. 

“Don’t worry, Donna. I know Mickey’s got some issues and we are no way near that kind of commitment.” Donna smiled and nodded. 

“Good. Don’t you ever give up your dreams. Especially not for a man.”  
  
Rose smiled, and she and Donna went back to work. They were arranging their first meeting with Joan and her fiancé to tour the botanical gardens to see the area of the venue. Rose had planned a tasting at the same time.   
  
Joan arrived, and Rose plastered a calm, plastic smile on her face and shifted into professional planner mode.  She shoved aside any lingering hurt feelings she may have had due to the Doctor’s indiscretions. She and Joan were chatting enthusiastically about the grounds when the Doctor finally arrived almost a half hour late.  
  
“John, there you are!” Joan exclaimed and tapped her watch. “You’re late again. What am I going to do with you. Didn’t you get my email?”  
  
The Doctor looked chastised but not overly concerned. He shrugged and looked at Rose. 

“I’m sorry, Rose. Hope I didn’t cause too many problems.”  
  
Rose looked into his eyes and felt something crack inside of herself. This was going to be so hard. There he was, dressed in the same brown pinstripe suit and tie he wore when she met him. Even though she knew he had acted horridly and in a disrespectful manner to Joan, she still couldn’t help but feel that fluttery feeling inside when she saw him or tingled with that energy that just bounced off of him whenever he was near. 

“It’s all right, John. We were just walking around.”  
  
Rose led them through the sculpture garden while Joan ooed and ahhhed over the location and the various sculptures. The Doctor remained mostly silent and brooding until they reached a water feature sculpture that was a metal piece reflecting rainbow colors. Rose smiled when they walked up to it as it was her favorite. The Doctor came to life as he saw it.  
  
“Copper mixed with titanium elements! Brilliant!”  
  
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it,” Rose said softly. “It’s my favorite place in the garden. I just love the sound as the water hits the different levels of metal and falls into the pool. See how they filled the bottom of the pool with more of the metal mixed with colored glass,” Rose pointed out.  
  
“Yes, very beautiful,” the Doctor breathed, not looking at the pool. Rose looked up, startled, and blushed a bit.   
  
Joan walked over from examining a piece of modern art. 

“This is all lovely, Rose, but where would you place everything? I’m not sure how keen I am having the fountain so close to the reception.”  
  
“Oh, course not,” Rose acknowledged, tucking away her feelings again and putting on her professional mode. She pointed out the areas where the ceremony and reception would be held, painting a vivid picture that Joan seemed to love.   
  
The Doctor stood off to the side watching. Spending time with both Joan and Rose was going to be harder than he thought. Maybe Jack was right and he should just run away for a few months. Of course, that wouldn’t resolve things with Rose. In fact, she’d probably hate him more for it. Running would be cowardly and disrespectful. Staying and seeing things through would be torture, but at least he’d get to see Rose. She was truly magnificent, even more so that he initially thought.   
  
Even if he thought weddings were a waste of time, he appreciated all the thought and planning Rose put into this just to make sure the day was perfect. This wasn’t just a job for her, she really cared that Joan’s day was special. He couldn’t help but smile softly at that. In the circles he traveled with Joan, finding someone who genuinely cared was very rare.   As they walked further along, Joan’s excitement built, and the Doctor became more resigned to his grim fate of marriage. 

Rose was doing her best to be professional even though everything inside of her screamed that the marriage between these two was wrong. Just as Rose was about to walk them to the tasting, a new twist popped up, literally. Mickey. Rose almost groaned when he walked through the garden toward them. At least he was dressed in something nicer than a t-shirt and jeans. He was wearing what Rose would call his Sunday best.  
  
“’ello, sweetheart,” he called out as he walked up and kissed a startled Rose.  
  
“Mickey, what are you doing here?” she asked nervously  
  
“Well, I was in the area and thought I’d check on my best girl,” he said cockily and glared a bit at the Doctor.  
  
“Best girl?” the Doctor asked with an arched brow and slight edge to his voice.  
  
“That’s right. Me and Rose are the real deal. Won’t be long before she’s using those wedding skills for us. Right, babe?” Mickey said confidently.  
  
“Mickey!” Rose said with warning.  
  
“Oh, Rose! Congratulations! I had no idea you were engaged,” Joan said cordially.  
  
“Thank you, Joan, but I’m…”  
  
“Yes,” the Doctor said in a clipped voice. “Congratulations. So when’s the happy day?”  
  
“Oh we haven’t picked it yet. Rose has been a bit busy, but it won’t be long,” Mickey said smugly.  
  
Donna ran over and interrupted before Rose lost her temper, reminding them of the tasting. “Why doesn’t your fiancé join us,” Joan asked pleasantly. “It would be much more fun. Like a double date almost.”  
  
Rose stared at Joan in shock. This was not how she had things planned, and when it was over she was so going to kill Mickey.  
  
“Yes,” the Doctor said, staring hard at Rose. “He simply must join us.”  
  
Rose smiled as best she could, feeling there was no easy way of getting out of this and went to the tasting. Mickey tried to put an arm around her but she shrugged it off. Donna looked on in confusion. The tasting went as well as could be expected with Mickey and the Doctor subtly snipping at each other. Joan seemed to not notice or was too polite to say anything. Donna just watched the two men like it was some tennis match and any second she expected one of them to smash a racket over the other’s head. Rose sat quiet and miserable.  
  
When Mickey’s phone rang, Rose jumped. “Sorry, babe. Duty calls. It was nice meeting you, Ms. Redfern, Dr. Smith,” he said, still glaring at the Doctor.  
  
“Yes, Rickey,” the Doctor spit out, purposefully forgetting his name.  
  
“That’s Mickey,” Mickey retorted before leaving, his phone to his ear.   
  
Joan looked down at her own mobile. “Oh, dear, several missed calls. Do you mind if I check my messages?” she asked Rose.  
  
“No, it’s fine. Go right ahead,” Rose answered and turned to Donna. “Donna, why don’t you tell the chef and sommelier the options Joan and John have chosen.”  
  
Donna nodded. “Right, um, you sure? You look a bit…”  
  
“I’m fine, Donna. I’ll just finish up here with Dr. Smith.” Donna left reluctantly and not before giving the Doctor a withering glare that warned him away from Rose.  
  
The Doctor flinched slightly until he was alone with Rose. 

“Engaged! And you were judging me! What’s your excuse, Ms. I’ll take the higher moral ground!”  
  
Rose, who had a headache at this point from not ripping into Mickey and playing along suddenly cracked needing to vent. 

  "Oh, no, you don’t! I was not engaged to Mickey when I met you!” Considering she still wasn't really engaged, she felt even more on the moral high ground even if she allowed everyone to assume she was.  That wasn't her fault.  
  
“Really, well, that was fast work!” the Doctor snipped. Rose stormed up to him, furious and needing to unleash all t he pent up anger at Mickey.  The Doctor was a fine substitute.

"Fast work! Mickey and I have known each other since we were kids! There’s nothing fast about him and me.”  
  
“Oh, so he’s perfect then, is he. Him and his snarky manner and obvious class prejudice. Really, Rose. Is that the best you can do!”  
  
“The best I can do!” Rose shouted and then quieted, realizing where she was.  Still seething, she calmed and quieted her voice. “You don’t get to say that to me, Mr. footloose and fancy free while engaged to perfect Joan.”  
  
“Joan is not perfect, but at least she is kind to everyone and doesn’t sneer at someone ‘cos they make too much or too little money.”  
  
“Well, that’s ‘cos she doesn’t have to worry about paying her bills now does she,” Rose whispered back. “Mickey’s had a hard time what with no father around, a mother that abandoned him, raised by his gran who died when he was only sixteen. You don’t get to judge him.”  
  
The Doctor paused and stared deeply into her eyes. Of course she would defend him. He could see her defending anyone she cared for. It was more than that, though. She was trying to convince herself, and that made him sad for her and for himself. He was engaged to Joan and Rose was now engaged to Mickey. They both had to see this through despite the fact that there was something between them.  
  
“You’re right. I don’t, and you don’t get to judge me either,” he said softly. Rose just stared him and then nodded without another word. Joan returned, spoiling the quiet understanding between them.  
  
Rose shook herself out of the moment with the Doctor and continued with her appointment with Joan. The Doctor quietly disappeared unable to spend any more time with both women. He ended his day with Jack at Jack’s favorite jazz club drinking banana martinis. Jack winced every time the Doctor sipped the odd concoction. 

“How do you drink that stuff,” he remarked, staring at the yellow abomination in the Doctor’s glass. “I mean, Doc, that’s just against everything a martini should be.”  
  
The Doctor finished his drink and motioned the bartender for another before turning to Jack. 

“Bananas are good, and, well, banana martinis are better. Especially when you’ve had the day I’ve had.”  
  
“Oh? Let me guess, the wedding planner,” Jack said, smirking. He had looked into Ms. Rose Tyler, and when he saw the picture, he’d had to smile. She was a looker and had a smile that would brighten any guy’s day. She came from a humble background and worked her way to where she was now. She was no debutante or society girl that was for sure and she was quite the opposite of Joan. Joan was no shallow socialite either but she came from money and had the best of everything. When she wanted to be a nurse, her parents did everything to help her.   
  
Rose Tyler, on the other hand, had to work for every little thing. Her father had died when she was an infant and she was raised by a very over protective mother on an estate. Rose might work with the super wealthy and understand luxurious lifestyle but she didn’t live it. She understood the value of working hard. 

She had a reputation for being stubborn, determined, kind and compassionate. She’d had one rather dramatic failed relationship which had knocked her on her arse and took her a while to recover from. It also stopped her from getting her A Levels reducing her job opportunities. She was just floating along until she’d gotten a job with A Smith Affair. Under the care of Sarah Jane Smith, she seemed to blossom and now was on her way to becoming one of the hottest wedding planners in London.   
  
Jack hadn’t even met her, and he was already fancying her a little. He could see why the Doctor was so hung up on the lovely Rose Tyler.  
  
“She’s engaged, Jack.”  
  
“Engaged? That was fast,” Jack mused. “Course, maybe not if she’s as special as you think.” The Doctor's head snapped toward him.  
  
“She is special! That’s why this engagement is all wrong for her. She deserves better.”  
  
“You mean she deserves you,” Jack said, winking at the bartender who passed him another drink. He looked at the Doctor staring into his yellow drink like it held all the answers he sought. “So who is this guy whose not good enough for her?”  
  
“Rickey the idiot,” the Doctor snipped and sipped his drink.  
  
Jack grinned. He’d never seen his friend so jealous before. He was beginning to envy this Rose. He doubted she even knew how tied up in knots she had his friend and how rare that was. 

“Oh, yeah, and what does Rickey do?” The Doctor looked him, scowling. 

“He’s an auto mechanic and a prat of the highest order.”  
  
“Awww. So was he as jealous and rude to you as you were to him. And the lovely Rose, what does she say about all this? I mean, it’s sort of hypocritical of her to hate on you when she’s doing the same thing you did.”  
  
“She says she wasn’t engaged then. She doesn’t love him, Jack. I can tell.” Jack swirled his cocktail thoughtfully. 

“But you’re still not gonna do anything about it?” The Doctor sighed. 

“It’s her choice even if I don’t agree. She’s made her commitment and I’ve made mine.”  
  
“Even if you’re both wrong? I dunno. You two and your old-fashioned ideas about sticking with someone whose all wrong for you just ‘cos of some promise that was made when I’m sure both of you weren’t ready to make it. It’s a sad thing to see,” he said and pulled the olive out of his drink and popped it in his mouth. “I still say both of you should run off and go have sexy times together. Sow your wild oats while you’re still young and gorgeous.”  
  
“You would say that,” the Doctor retorted.  
  
Jack just smiled. Maybe it was time he did a little work of his own. He’d already sniffed around Joan and heard whisperings of her own discontent. Maybe it was time to fuel that fire. As for the fair Rose, well, maybe a little undercover work was called for. 


	5. Chapter 5

Anger pounded in her head until Rose could barely do more than stomp back and forth across her office. Rose could not believe what Mickey had done and was livid with him. He called trying to explain he was protecting her and Jackie had agreed with him. After confirming her mother was involved and making clear to her mum that she had crossed a line, she now refused to speak to either of them despite the multiple calls and messages. Donna watched as Rose glared at her phone as if she could melt it.

“You know what you need?” Donna asked.

“A plane ticket to the back of beyond where no one can find me,” Rose said while collapsing into her chair and rubbing at her temples.

“I was thinking a girls' night out. You, my dear, need some fun. The kind only a few drinks with the girls can give you. No blokes allowed.” Rose smiled. 

“Thanks, Donna, but I don’t know. I’m in enough trouble already.”

“Don’t be stupid. You need this and I’m gonna see to it. You’re going out tonight and not allowed to think of that Doctor, Mickey or your mum.”

Rose smiled and sat at her desk while Donna stormed out intent on organizing some girl time. Rose focused on work and opened an email, from Joan coincidentally, and nearly groaned. Apparently, she was feeling bad that Doctor had not been included in enough plans and wanted to include him in part of the festivities. 

There was to be a pre-wedding party at the university he worked at in the Astronomy lab. She wanted a Starry Night theme and there would be well over one hundred guests in attendance. Rose sighed and thought about the irony of that as she proceeded with planning it. She also noted an email from her mum begging her to call. Despite her reservations, Rose picked up her mobile and rang her.

“Rose! It’s about time you called me!” her mother chastised, not seeming the least bit sorry for her interfering in Rose’s job or life.

“Mum, I’m at work. I just can’t drop everything every time you want to chat and I’m still mad at you for sending Mickey out like that interrupting a meeting with a very important client.”

“What, you mean that Doctor who tried to cheat on his fiancée with you,” Jackie snipped. “Mickey was just there to protect you.”

Rose stiffened. The only way her mother knew about that was Mickey. When she was done being angry with him, she was going to have a chat with him about private conversations and not sharing with her mum. 

“I don’t need protecting. I can protect myself!”

“Really, and that’s what you did with Jimmy Stones, is it?” her mother reminded her.

“Mum, that was a long time ago and I’m older and better prepared. And did you tell him to announce that him and me were engaged?”

“Engaged! Oh, sweetheart, that’s wonderful! I can’t wait to tell everyone,” her mother gushed. “It’s about time too. Mickey’s perfect, and he’ll take care of you.”

“Mum, stop! I’m not marrying Mickey!” Rose said loudly but trying not to shout.

“Whadda you mean you’re not marrying him!” her mother shouted back.

“I don’t love him like that. Why can’t you just believe me?”

“Don’t love him like that! What, like you loved Jimmy Stones? Look where that got you. Mickey is the best thing you’ve got and he loves you more than anything. It would do you some good to think about that. That kind of love and devotion doesn’t come around every day and I can attest to that. I never found another like your father now did I,” Jackie lectured.

“Mum, you loved Dad. I care about Micks but not in the same way you did with Dad. And him coming to my work like that and telling everyone we was getting married was wrong. He could’ve cost me my job!”

“What, your job is more important than love now? Is that it? That’s not the way I raised you, Rose. You should be happy he loves you that much. Why can’t you see that? Why’s that job more important than the people who love you? You didn’t used to be this way. I think that job’s changed you and not for the better.”

“Mum," she sighed heavily. "This job has changed me and of course you’re important to me. You’re my mum. Don’t you get that? I love you and will always love you, but you have to let me grow up and figure things out on my own. You can’t keep shoving Micks at me. He deserves better.”

“But Rose. I just want to see you happy,” her mother said softly. “Work ain’t gonna make you happy. You’ll just be alone. It’s no picnic being on your own,” her mother lectured. “I just want to see you settled and happy.”

Rose smiled softly. Her mother really did love her and was afraid that Rose would end up alone. Her mother had been through some tough times after her dad died and never remarried. Rose knew that a lot of this was coming from her mother’s own insecurities and loneliness. She just wished her mother could understand how much Rose loved this job and how it made her feel accomplished despite all the mistakes she’d made in her life. 

“Mum, I’m not leaving my job and I’m sure I’ll get married one day to someone I’m in love with and that’s not Mickey. I love him but I’m not in love with him. Can you understand that?” Jackie heaved a huge sigh. 

“I do. I just don’t want you to have regrets.”

“I know, Mum. I do love you and promise I’ll be over to see you soon. Just, no more pushing with Micks, yeah?”

“All right. I promise but don’t think he’ll wait around forever, sweetheart. Good, loyal blokes like him don’t grow on trees, you know.”

After promising again to visit, Rose rang off. She did feel guilty for not being there for her mum more but it was so hard when she was trying to build a life and career. Her mobile rang and Donna rushed back in interrupting her guilty thoughts and Rose refocused on the Redfern wedding.

*********************

 

Girls' night out turned into quite the affair. Donna, Rose, their friend Astrid from catering, and Lynda from the party staging company all went out to a popular lounge. Wine, ale and various liquor drinks were flowing, and all were having a great time.

“So, you got Mickey trailing after you like a jealous puppy tugging on the pant leg of this Doctor guy who's engaged, as it turns out?” Lynda asked while enjoying her pink cocktail.

“It’s more complicated than that!” Rose defended and sipped her wine.

“Seems simple to me. Have both of them, get it out of your system, and move on,” Astrid said while eyeing a handsome man across the bar.

“Astrid! I can’t do that!” Rose exclaimed. “Besides, Mickey and I don’t exactly spark, and I don’t want that with him.”

“Don’t spark?” Donna exclaimed. “Rose, why you even wasting your time with a guy who doesn’t set you on fire? I don’t get it. You’re blonde and young. You shouldn’t have any problem finding someone to get the job done!”

Rose blushed and giggled, smoothing some wrinkles out of her white cocktail dress.

“And this Doctor bloke, he happily engaged then?” Lynda asked. Rose stopped and stared. 

“Engaged, yes, happily…” she trailed off.

“So not happily then,” Astrid said, nodding her head, her blonde curls bouncing against the silk black wrap dress she wore. “So what’s the problem?”

“Astrid, he’s engaged! That means off the market, do not touch, taken, hands off!” Donna reminded her as she fussed with the strap of her black cocktail dress. Astrid just shrugged. 

“Seems to me the problem is his. If he wants you and you want him, he should do something about it.”

Rose stared at Astrid. She hadn’t revealed to anyone except Donna that he was her client. 

“It’s not that simple Astrid, and anyway, he should have told me he was engaged when he went out with me. He didn’t and now that I know…I just can’t.”   
Lynda reached across the table. 

“I think you need to forget about both of them. Go out and have some fun for a change. That’s what tonight is about.”

“Lynda’s right! Those blokes can go wallow in their pints! Tonight, we’re having fun!” Donna announced and made her way to the bar to order more drinks. Astrid did the same, only her path led directly to a handsome bloke who was eyeing her.

“I got to use the loo. Will you be all right Rose?” Lynda asked, as she stood up, adjusting her pink sweater over her black dress trousers.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Really,” Rose promised.

Not long after Lynda left, a handsome, dark-haired, blue-eyed man sauntered over. In a word, he was gorgeous. 

“Hello there, beautiful,” he said smoothly, looking at Rose, who was flattered but also a little annoyed. The last thing she wanted was to be hit on by some bloke with cheesy lines.

“Hi,” Rose responded without encouraging him.

“I see you’ve been abandoned by your friends and thought I might come over and keep you company,” he said and sat down without an invitation. Rose could tell he had money. He was wearing a designer suit and smelled of high-priced cologne. She supposed if a bloke was going to chat her up, he might as well be pretty to look at.

“I’m sure they’ll be back soon and you are?” Rose asked.

“Sorry, Jack Harkness, and who do I have the pleasure of meeting?” Rose almost rolled her eyes. He was such a flirt. 

“Rose Tyler,” she said and held out her hand. He kissed it. Rose almost started giggling. Men did not kiss your hand unless they were trying to pull you and even then it just didn’t happen.

“Nice to meet you, Rose Tyler. And what is a gorgeous creature like yourself doing here without an escort?”

“Girls' night out,” Rose answered evasively.

“And what guy in their right mind would allow you out of his sight,” Jack answered easily. That was when Rose lost it and started laughing. 

“Seriously, these lines really work for you?” Jack laughed too. Rose Tyler was good. 

“Not all the time, and certainly not for someone as smart as you. I thought I recognized you across the room. You’re that wedding planner that’s been mentioned in the society pages. You’re doing that big Redfern shindig aren’t you?” Rose’s smile faded a bit. 

“Sorry, I can’t talk about that. Client confidentiality.”

Jack immediately noticed the shift in her attitude. Bingo, she did care about the Doctor. That was what he was wondering. Now to test her a bit. The music shifted. He had bribed the manager to put on something slow. Moonlight Serenade was a little dated but it would work.

“Well, Rose, as you are alone and don’t look to be interested in your typical chat up, how about a dance?”

“Oh, I don’t know my friends…”

“Brought you out to have a good time. Come on, one dance won’t hurt. I promise I’ll leave you alone to party with your girlfriends if you dance with me. ”

Rose looked at him and Astrid across the bar who seemed to be having a good time and thought, why not? She stood up and walked with him to the dance floor which wasn’t very crowded. She caught Donna’s eye on the way and Donna looked at her a little floored.

Jack was a great dancer as was Rose. They chatted quietly about designers, fashion and the latest art craze, Jack still flirting the whole time. 

“So Jack Harkness, why do I know that name?” Rose asked.

“Oh, I’ve been around the social circuit a few times, made a few business deals here and there,” he answered evasively. He hoped she didn’t know he was the Doctor’s best man. 

Suddenly she stopped dancing and stared him and then burst out laughing. 

“Oh, my gawd! You’re that playboy that’s in all the tabs! What are you doing here with me?” she asked as she started dancing with him again.

“Why not?” Jack asked, feigning surprise. “It’s not the first time I’ve been to this place and besides, sometimes it’s nice to lay low. I don’t always enjoy being the focus of attention.”

“Now that I find hard to believe,” Rose replied, smiling at him. When the music stopped, he escorted her back to her table where Astrid, Lynda and Donna were watching her.

“Ladies!” he said smoothly to several smiles and one glare from Donna. “Thanks for letting me borrow Rose here.” He turned to Rose and kissed her hand. “Ms. Tyler, the pleasure was all mine.” He pulled out her chair and winked as he sauntered away.

“Do you know who that was?” Donna demanded.

“Yep, that was Jack Harkness.”

“The scoundrel who's in all the tabloids Jack Harkness!” Donna chastised her.

Rose shrugged. “He was a good dancer.”

“I’ll just bet he is,” Astrid said, smirking.

Rose burst into giggles, as did Lynda. The girls night out continued with much giggling, gossiping and no more discussion of Dr. John Smith.

**********************

 

After her night out with the girls and dancing with the infamous Jack Harkness, Rose was able to settle into a bit more of a routine. She met with Joan several more times, the Doctor being conspicuously absent. It was during a meeting to review final details that Rose noticed Joan staring across the room her face blank. She faced Rose. 

“Rose, I feel like we’ve come to know each other well. I…that is to say. Rose I’m not sure.”

“Not sure of what, Joan?”

“Marrying John.”

Rose was stunned. She barely knew what to say. It wasn’t uncommon for a bride to get cold feet and she’d handled this many times before but this… This was different. If she encouraged Joan to rethink things, it could give her a chance with the Doctor. But, Rose couldn’t do it. It was wrong and unprofessional. 

“Joan, it’s normal to be nervous. Is there a particular reason you’re worried?” Joan smiled and looked down at the table arrangements. 

“John and I have known each other forever, it seems like, but I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like something’s missing, like we’re only getting married because it’s expected.”

Rose swallowed hard. “Do you love him?” 

“Oh, yes! I do, very much. He’s intelligent, kind and barely says a cross word. He’s everything I could want.”

Rose put on her best professional mask. “Well then, that’s your answer.” Joan nodded. 

“You’re right. That is the answer. I mean, I wouldn’t marry him if I didn’t love him.”

That day was not a good day for Rose. Joan’s words were weighing heavy on her. Was she tossing Mickey aside for some romantic belief in some great romance that may or may not exist? Joan was so matter of fact about it. Maybe she should be too.

***************************

 

The evening of the pre-wedding party at the university’s Astronomy building arrived. Rose was dressed in a midnight blue shift, matching designer sandals, silver wrap and her hair pinned up with pearl combs and a matching pearl necklace. Donna wore a similar dress only hers was dark green and set off her ginger hair. It had been a gift from Rose for all the support both moral and work related Donna had provided to her in preparing for the Redfern wedding. 

Donna’s boyfriend, Lee, was handling the catering along with his assistant, Astrid and seeing that all the appetizers and finger foods were hot, cold and looking beautiful. Joan had ordered a special groom’s cake as a surprise for the Doctor. It was rectangular and decorated like a night sky with raised star cakes dotting it and sparkling.

Rose walked the room, which was an auditorium with a night sky image reflected on the ceiling. This room was typically used to teach astronomy courses but Rose had worked magic to line the walls with deep blue drapery, leaving the night sky visible on the ceiling but also bringing the starry theme all over the room including the floor. Joan had asked for some jazz musicians which Rose had hired and were presently tuning their instruments.

Everything was set, the mood lighting on and the guests eventually started to arrive. It was perfect and Joan was pleased. Except, the Doctor was missing. They were combing the building for him. Rose sighed and knew it was part of her job to track him down to assure all was perfect. She told Donna to keep an eye on things while she went on the hunt. Donna looked concerned but Rose assured her she would be fine.

After visiting classrooms, labs and offices, she noticed a door ajar. Rose climbed the stairs to the roof where she found him standing alone underneath the star and moonlight sky dressed in his tux and great tan overcoat.

“Doctor,” she called quietly.

He turned and smiled softly at her. “Rose.”

Her breath caught. Nothing had prepared her for him dressed in a tux beneath the stars. She slowly walked over to him, the sound of the jazz drifting up to them from the party beneath them.

“It’s cold. You must be freezing. Here,” he said and draped his coat over her shoulders.

“You shouldn’t. I mean what about you?” Rose said, gazing into his eyes.

“Oh, I’m all right. I’m always all right,” he answered a bit sadly.

“But,” she gasped as she snuggled into the coat, his scent wrapped around her.

“Dance with me,” he said, not asking and reaching for her. She practically floated over to him, almost mesmerized by this vision of him.

He pulled her into his arms and began dancing with her. She looked down and smiled. “Trainers?”

He grinned. “Never know when you might need to run.”

Rose smiled back at him and they continued to dance. 

“We should really get back down to the party. I mean it is your party and I was sent to fetch you.” He looked down at her and then back up at the stars.

“Fetch me huh. Don’t particular want to be fetched and especially not for that soiree down below. That was all Joan’s doing. I’d much rather be under real stars.” Rose looked up. 

“It’s so beautiful here. I can understand why you came up here and why you like looking at them. So many stars and planets up there. Makes you wonder if there’s someone out there looking up at their night sky and wondering just like we are,” she said, still looking up.

When she looked back at him, he had such an intense expression on his face which was shadowed as a cloud drifted past the moon. Suddenly, Rose was not at all cold and in fact thought the roof was feeling a bit warm. He had stopped dancing and his hands had drifted around her.

“Rose, I…”

“We should go,” Rose said, trying to pull away. “Joan will be waiting.” He stared at her for a long time and she looked at him with pleading eyes. Rose would have given anything to have let him finish whatever he was going to say to her, to stay up here under the stars with him but, he was engaged to be married and she was the wedding planner. Stars or no, this couldn’t happen. Even if it was all she could think about.

He nodded his head in resignation and walked with her down to the party. She took his coat to be properly hung and then watched from the sidelines as he walked in to Joan. Even the dulcet tones of Jazz music couldn’t hide the sound of two hearts breaking that night.


	6. Chapter 6

Rose immersed herself in work filled with a draining melancholy. She smiled at friends and co-workers, wore her best professional face with her clients, but still, those closest to her knew she was unhappy. The Redfern wedding quickly approached. She had finalized a few more details with Joan and her parents but hadn’t seen the Doctor since the party at the astronomy building. He seemed to be avoiding anything wedding related and people noticed.

Joan seemed agitated and out of sorts. Her parents were equally so, snorting disdainfully at their future son-in-law. Especially, when he had announced he would not be participating in a wedding rehearsal. A resigned almost stoic look hardened Joan’s eyes as she informed her parents. To Rose's mind, her explanation sounded odd, how John's absence made perfect sense and the two of them agreed how important it was for the wedding party to be rested the night before the wedding. Joan was quite calm and almost matter of fact about the situation and reminded her parents that it was a good thing that John was finally taking an interest in wedding plans. Her parents did not agree. 

Rose did her best to lighten the mood but barely was able to diffuse the oncoming explosion from John's soon to be in-laws. She relied on nerves of steel, and kept her professional demeanor even if a part of her inside was crumbling. She knew in her heart the Doctor did not want to marry Joan but there was nothing she could do. So, she buried her feelings and did her job.

Days before the wedding, in a spur of the moment decision while out with Mickey and her mother, she agreed to marry Mickey. It had been a bad day at work for her and with the constant bagering, the words slipped out. So overwrought, it seemed the only way to end the constant pressure and criticism. Her mother and Mickey both seemed happy even if she wasn’t. They kept going on about how she was finally coming to her senses. All Rose could think was at least she wouldn’t have to deal with the pressure of her mother's nonstop inquisition about her love life or the thought of more dating or her feelings for the Doctor. At least, she thought she wouldn’t be bothered by his marriage any more. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out that way. It still hurt.

The day before the Redfern wedding, Rose sat down with Sarah Jane. They discussed the final details and Sarah Jane seemed pleased. 

“You’ve done an excellent job, Rose. Just like I knew you would.”

“Thanks, Sarah Jane,” Rose said quietly.

“You know, I’m a pretty good judge of character and quite used to observing people. I knew from the start you’d be a diligent worker and that you’d care about the people and the job,” Sarah Jane said, smiling at her. “I’d like to think I had small part of your success with this event but I know that this was mainly all you.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Rose responded, touched by Sarah Jane’s compliment.

“You don’t have to say anything. You don’t even have to tell me why you’ve been so quiet and subdued or why Donna’s been hovering over you lately. I’ve been in this business a long time. I know a troubled heart when I see one. You’re marrying Mickey aren’t you?”

Rose looked at her, startled. “I…yes. I think I am. How’d you know that?”

“I used to be a reporter, and a good one before I started all this. I told you, I’m good at observing people. Somehow, I think you’re marrying Mickey has little to do with him and more to do with someone else. You wouldn’t be the first woman to run from a broken heart into the arms of another just to make yourself forget.” Rose swallowed hard and looked down. 

“Yeah, there was someone but…I found out that he wasn’t who I thought. He had someone else in his life, a commitment that he couldn’t break no matter how he felt about me or me about him. I was angry of course, but…I couldn’t help how I felt about him. In the end it didn’t matter if we did have feelings for one another. A commitment is a commitment. I mean, it wasn’t meant to be. Mickey’s always been there, been kind to me and is stable. He won’t hurt me and isn’t that what every woman wants? The perfect stable bloke.”

“It doesn’t matter what every woman wants. It matters what you want," Sarah Jane emphasized. "Promise me something, Rose. Promise me you won’t marry him because it’s convenient. Marry him because you can’t live without him, because he makes your life better, surprises you and fills you with peace and happiness. Don’t be afraid there won’t be someone out there that can do that for you.”

Rose looked at her, tears threatening to spill. “Thank you, Sarah Jane. You’re right. I…I’ve just been so unsure lately and I need to marry for the right reasons.”

Sarah Jane smiled at her and stood up and hugged Rose. “That’s my brilliant girl. Now then, I think after all the work you put in for this Redfern affair, you’ve earned some time off. Take it and think about things for a bit, yes?”

Rose nodded and left her office, her mind spinning with what decision she should make about Mickey and what she wanted.

**********************

 

On the morning of the day of his marriage to Joan, the Doctor was with Jack at Jack’s luxurious flat. He paced, he nervously took apart and reassembled Jack’s toaster, microwave and Jack’s new MacBook.

Jack mixed a few cocktails and stood there watching his friend go barmy. Finally, Jack couldn’t take it anymore. 

“Tell me you’re not going through with this.”

The Doctor paused and tugged at his hair before facing Jack. “Of course I’m going through with it,” he snapped. “I have to. I’m honor bound to do it.”

“Honor bound?” Jack asked with disbelief. “Doc, this is the twenty first century, not the nineteenth. You can do what you want. There’s nothing honorable about marrying a woman you don’t love and will be miserable with. Do you really think Joan would be happy knowing you married her out of some antiquated moral high ground?”

“Oh, it’s so easy for you, isn’t it!” the Doctor groused. “You’re Mr. Playboy, different shag each night, partying with the rich and beautiful footloose and fancy free. What would you know of honor?”

“Hey!” Jack said, pushing off the wall he was leaning against. “I may have a good time, enjoy a good party and spreading the love, but saying I’m not honorable is pushing it. Just because I’m not letting someone steam roll me into some marriage or moping around all doom and gloom because I don’t have the bollocks to be honest with Joan and go after the woman I really love doesn’t mean I don’t have honor. It means I’m honest. Anyone I’m out with knows the score. Can you say the same of you and Joan? How long has it been since you two sat down and had an honest heart to heart?”

The Doctor looked away angry and toed his trainers into the plush carpet. Finally, he sighed, rolled his head, and looked back at Jack. 

“You’re right, and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that to you.” 

“Look, I care about you and Joan. You both deserve to be happy. This wedding isn’t the way. Just promise me you’ll talk to her before you do anything stupid.”

“Yeah, I’ll talk to her,” the Doctor said miserably. 

He walked to a window and stared out over the city wondering what Rose was doing. He hadn’t seen her since that night beneath the stars. It hadn’t been easy either. He was so tempted to go over and talk to her. Memories of the look on her face that night as they danced beneath the stars and the longing and connection they shared danced in his mind almost tantalizing him with what he could have. Then, seeing the heartbreak after he went to Joan only confirmed how she felt about him. He was torn between his feelings for Rose and hurting Joan. Maybe Jack was right. He should have been honest with Joan. In trying to protect and keep from hurting her, he was really doing her more harm just as he was doing the same to Rose. He couldn’t go on like this. It was time to stop running.

******************

 

The day of the Redfern wedding, Rose was on site with Donna seeing to everything. She had everything planned to the last detail. Right before the guests arrived, she pulled Donna aside. 

“This is it, Donna.”

“I know! Everything is beautiful, Rose. This is our finest I work. Top of the line everything!” Donna gushed while pounding out texts on her mobile.

“Yeah,” Rose said as she looked at Donna. “And that’s why you’re gonna finish it.”

Donna looked up shocked. “Say what?” she asked.

“I’m going, Donna. I can’t be here for this and I promised Mickey I’d meet him to file for a marriage license. Mum’s gonna be there too.”

“But you can’t do this, Rose. You don’t love Mickey. Don’t make the biggest mistake of your life!” Rose looked at Donna and smiled. 

“I’m not, Donna. I’m gonna tell them I can’t, and then I’m gonna take some time off to think.” Donna smiled and hugged her. 

“Good girl!” Donna pulled back and looked at Rose. “Don’t give up on love, Rose. One day, you’re gonna find a bloke who deserves you and until then, you’ve got friends and A Smith Affair. You and me, we’re gonna turn this town upside down with fabulous weddings! Besides, I need you when Lee finally gets off his arse and asks me. I’m not taking anything less than a posh Rose Tyler affair.”

Rose felt tears in her eyes as she looked at Donna. She hugged her one more time, thanking her for everything, and then slipped out leaving Donna to oversee the last minute details. She knew Donna could do it and could handle anything that came up. She left feeling at peace with Donna in charge. Now all she had to do was talk to her mum and Mickey.

Oddly, now that she’d made up her mind, she felt good about telling them she wasn’t ready to marry anyone. The only lingering sadness in her mind was what she thought she might have had with the Doctor. That door would be firmly shut after today, and she would just have to move on with her life and be a little more careful with heart next time.

When she arrived at the local registrar’s office, she saw her mother and Mickey waiting for her. Neither of them was dressed as formally as she expected, and she slowed as she approached them.

Mickey stepped forward and took her hand. 

“Rose, we need to talk.” He led her away from Jackie who stood there with a sad expression on her face. “Rose, you know I love you, always have. Probably always will, but this here, you and me doing this now. It’s not right. I know it’s not right, and so do you.”   
Rose nodded and looked at Mickey sadly. 

“Oh, Micks, I’m so sorry. I do love you really. It’s just…everything’s mucked up right now. I’m a bit confused and I care for you but not the way you deserve. You deserve the best, someone who can be with you and be a partner. That’s just not me. I’m rubbish with you.”

“No, you’re not,” he said emphatically. “You’re Rose, my best mate, the girl who stuck by me no matter what. Even when you went off to work for that ritzy party planner, you still went with me to the pub and hung out with my mates. You could’ve up and left us all behind, but you didn’t. Point is, you and me, we’re mates. We’re just not in love. People who marry, they should be in love, not just marry ‘cos there’s nothing better.”

Rose looked down at the floor, horrified about what she had almost done to him and that she made him feel like second best. He wasn’t. 

“Micks, I can’t say I’m sorry enough. You’ve always been there for me, and I haven’t. I never meant to hurt you.”

“I know you didn’t." He smiled softly at her and squeezed her hands. "You couldn’t if you want to. Honestly, I’m just as much at fault, if not more so. I pushed you ‘cos I was scared of losing you and, well…” He looked over at Jackie and then back at Rose. “A bit scared of your mum. She’s got a wicked slap, you know.”

Rose looked at him and burst out laughing. She threw her arms around Mickey and they hugged. 

“Still mates then?” Rose asked. He nodded his head and smiled at her. “Good. You know, if anyone serious comes round, she’s gotta get by me,” she teased. Mickey looked bashfully off to the side. “Oh, I see, there is someone isn’t there,” she said, bumping shoulders with him playfully.

“Maybe, depends on how things go,” he told her with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Good. When it gets serious, bring her by Mum’s for dinner and we’ll suss her out and make sure she’s good enough for our Micks.”

After a few more jokes and promises to keep in touch, Mickey bounded away to cancel their marriage filing. Rose walked slowly up to her mum. 

“Are you mad at me?” she asked. Jackie looked sympathetically at Rose. 

“Course not. I mean, I do want to see you married, but I want you to be happy. You’ve been a misery for days now, so I knew something was wrong. Was it because of Mickey and not being ready, or is it that job? You know if that wedding stuff is too much you can come home. Mrs. Paulson says Henrik's is hiring.” Rose heaved a sigh and looked up at her mother. 

“Mum, I’m not quitting my job. I love it, and the money’s good. It’s helping to support both of us. I just need a break. With everything with Mickey and trying to keep things on track with this Redfern wedding, I just need a break. Sarah Jane’s already giving me some time off, and I’m gonna take it.”

“Are you sure, sweetheart? I just want you happy, not working yourself to death. You know you can always come home.” Jackie knew her daughter better than anyone, and something was bothering her. She had thought at first it was wedding nerves or Mickey. But then, she grew suspicious of how hard Rose was working and how much of herself she poured into her job and particularly this wedding. She hoped it wasn’t due to that John Smith person. She’d really like to let him have it after what he did to her Rose.

Of course, Jackie worried about Rose and this job. Watching Rose succeed made her so proud but also afraid. She didn’t want Rose to lose herself so much in her job that she let the rest of her life slip by. She wanted Rose to find someone. It wasn’t easy finding a bloke who loved you or much less one that respected you and wanted to care for you. This was why she had been so adamant about Mickey. Now though, after seeing how grown up Rose had become, she could see that Rose and Mickey had grown apart.

“I know, Mum, and I love you for that. I promise I’ll take care of myself.” The two women hugged, and Rose promised to have dinner with her soon. She told her mother she needed some time alone to think and left to go for a walk.

*********************

 

The Doctor arrived at the wedding ceremony with Jack and they were back in the groom’s room. Donna knocked on the door and Jack answered it and grinned. “You!” Donna said in shock. “You’re that Jack Harkness that danced with Rose.”

The Doctor, having heard this, marched over. “What do you mean, danced with Rose?” he demanded.

Jack looked over at him. “Oh, I ran into Rose and her lovely assistant here when they were out having a girls' night. Gorgeous girl and great dancer,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes. The Doctor’s face darkened, and without a thought he slugged Jack across the jaw.

Jack’s head snapped back and he fell against the door slamming it shut. He looked up at the Doctor stunned and rubbed his jaw. 

“Wow, Doc, didn’t think you had it in you.”

“Don’t call me Doc! And hands off Rose Tyler. She’s not for the likes of you!” he said, breathing heavily, eyes filled with thunder.

“All right, that’s enough! Both of you! This is a wedding, not a pub brawl,” Donna announced in a no-nonsense voice. She stared at both the men, and it occurred to her at that moment that maybe she’d misjudged this John Smith. Maybe…but only a little. He still lied.

“You’re right about that,” Jack said, nodding his head. “Except, it’s not really a wedding either. Is it, Doctor?”

The Doctor seemed to deflate and he looked at Donna who was looking a little pale. 

“Donna, I need to talk to Joan. Now.”

Donna was about to hit the floor. Rose had left her in charge and the Groom was brawling with his best man and now wanted a chat with the bride before the wedding. This was not boding well. The last thing she needed was for everything to fall apart on their biggest wedding of the year. 

“But you can’t,” she said, trying to take charge and get things back on track. “It’s not done, and it’s bad luck. I’m sorry, but no.” Donna stood before him, crossed her arms, and gave him the Donna Noble look of “no arguments, Mister.”

The Doctor looked over at Jack. 

“Jack, go get Joan now.” Jack saluted and ducked out before Donna could stop him. “There’s no rules against the best man seeing the bride, is there?” the Doctor said, smirking and rocking back on his heels.

Jack quickly made his way toward Joan, rubbing his jaw as he walked. That was it; there was no way he was letting the Doctor marry Joan. He smiled as he reached the bride’s dressing area. Several of the bridesmaids stared at him. He winked and went straight for Joan, who was standing before a window staring out.

Jack could tell she was nervous, and there was something else in her eyes. He smiled broadly at her. This was going to be easier than he thought. Joan was a smart woman, and he was betting she was as unready to marry as John was. “Joan, we need to talk,” Jack announced and looked at Joan’s startled mother and the rest of her wedding party. “In private,” he finished. Joan looked only too relieved.

************************

 

Meanwhile, back with the groom, Donna whipped out her phone and began punching text messages madly. The Doctor sighed. “It’s Donna, right?” Donna looked up at him as if he was daft.

“Right,” he said, nodding. “Look, Donna, this wedding isn’t gonna happen. Things have changed.”

“Changed!” Donna said loudly. “An hour before Joan is supposed to walk down the aisle, and things have changed! Is this about you getting cold feet, because if it is, it’s not uncommon. Happens all the time and…”

“It’s not cold feet, Donna,” he said, interrupting her. “I’m not in love with Joan.”

Donna stared at him as if he had grown a second head. 

“What! You waited until now to decide this?”

“Well, you see, that’s the thing,” he said, rubbing his neck nervously. “This whole thing just sort of happened, and it snowballed a bit. One night I’m having dinner with her family and friends, and before I know it, I’m engaged. It sort of got away from me,” he said with a confused look on his face.

“Sort of got away from you! How the hell does that happen?” Donna asled, now shouting. She knew she was being unprofessional, but after everything Rose had been through with him, she felt she had the right to shout.

“Well, they put me on the spot and…inferred things. What was I supposed to do!” the Doctor shouted back at Donna defensively.

“You were supposed to say no, we’re not engaged, dumbo! Oh, my gawd, this is a catastrophe! A complete disaster!”

“You’re telling me!” the Doctor agreed, pacing back and forth, hands raking through his hair.

Donna walked over and picked up a carafe of brandy and poured snifter which she downed in one gulp. 

“What am I going to do?” she asked the room in general

“What are you going to do!” the Doctor repeated, shouting. “What am I going to do? I’m the one on the hook here.”

Donna glared at him. “You don’t get to feel sorry for yourself. You got yourself into this mess, and you broke Rose’s heart. Anything that happens is on your own head!”

The Doctor stopped pacing and looked at Donna. 

“I…I broke her heart?” he said softly. “Then she does…what I mean is she feels…” he said, unable to finish his sentence. Donna rolled her eyes and slapped her hands against her hips. 

“Oh, my gawd! Will you just say it already? I don’t know what she sees in some nutter space man like you.”

“Fine, I love her. I’ve barely spent any time with her but I love her. Now, can you kindly go fetch her so I can tell her myself!” he shouted back at Donna.

Before Donna could respond, there was a knock at the door. 

“Hold that thought,” she ordered and went to see who it was. A frazzled-looking assistant handed her a note and stood there looking pale. Donna sighed and opened it, her eyes widening. She then walked over and thrust it at the Doctor. “This is for you.”

He opened the piece of paper to find Joan’s flowery handwriting. 

“My dearest John, by the time you receive this, I will be gone. I’m so sorry for being such a coward, but I think we both know that neither of us is ready for this wedding. I’ve been feeling this for quite some time but have been so swept up in the preparations that I never paused to discuss any of it with you. I hope that one day you will forgive me for leaving like this, but it felt the best way. I understand from Jack that you share my sentiment and will be greatly relieved to be free of this obligation. Please know I hold you in the highest regard and have spoken with my parents and directed them to hold no ill will toward you. Thank you my dearest for your understanding and compassion and I wish you only the best. Love, Joan.”

He looked up, his mouth hanging open. 

“She’s jilted me,” he said in shock.

Donna nodded her head in agreement. “Yep!”

The Doctor scrubbed his hands over his face. “Well, that was…convenient.”

Donna rolled her eyes. “You would say that. Meanwhile, we have a couple hundred people out there waiting for you to get married.”

“Ah, yes. Well, isn’t that your department and speaking of your department…where’s Rose?” Donna sighed and looked up at the ceiling. 

“Well, she’s not here, and she’s got bloody bad timing. She so owes me for this one.”

“What do you mean, she’s not here?” he shouted in agitation as he paced and tugged at his hair.

“Well, she’s either getting married to Mickey, or she’s run off somewhere to get her head straight.”

“What! What do you mean, she’s marrying Rickey the idiot?”

“Oi! You watch it, skinny boy! Who’s the idiot that got himself engaged by accident?” Donna reminded him. The Doctor flinched and rubbed at his temples. 

“Look, go get Jack and tell me where this alleged marriage is supposed to be taking place,” he ordered as visions of being too late to stop her filled his mind. He had to stop her. He had to tell her how he felt.

Donna’s assistant came forward and whispered something into her ear. “Well, isn’t that wizard!” Donna exclaimed and turned to the Doctor. “Well, star boy, it appears the best man ran off with your bride to go party it up on what was to be your honeymoon.”

Again, the Doctor’s mouth opened and closed but no sound was coming out. 

“Jack and Joan?” He stared at Donna as if she was going to tell him it was a joke except it was no joke. Finally he snorted. Should have figured that one out. He looked up and then back at Donna. 

“Look, just tell me where I can find Rose.” Donna smiled. 

“You’re gonna go get her, aren’t you? You better be romantic about it,” she warned and poked him in the chest in emphasis before telling him where to go. 

He ran out of the room, through the crowd, past Joan’s grumbling parents and straight to Jack’s shiny red Porsche and sped away. Donna straightened her spine, took a deep breath, put a smile on her face and walked out to face the crowd and make her announcement. The bride may have skipped out with the best man but she was going to make the best of this. By the time Donna was done, the guests were in the reception tent, music was playing, Joan’s father was singing his heart out while his wife had her head in her hands and alcohol was flowing liberally.

***********************

 

The Doctor raced to stop Rose from marrying Mickey. It was a miracle he was not pulled over and cited for excessive speed and reckless driving. He screeched the car to a stop and parked illegally and ran up to the building, running into Mickey on the way. Mickey took one look at him in the rumpled tux, panicked look on his face and hair askew and laughed. 

“What the ‘ell happened to you?” The Doctor ignored him. 

“Rose can’t marry you!” he shouted and looked around. “Where is she?”

Mickey immediately became defensive and annoyed. 

“Oh, yeah, says who? Rose and me can get married if we want to!” The Doctor paused and stared at Mickey. 

“You said can get married. That means you’re not. I’m not too late!” he shouted and jumped up and down, pumping his fist in the air. “Where is she? I need to speak to her. It’s an emergency.”

“Oh, yeah, what kind of an emergency?" Mickey crossed his arms aiming his best glare at the Doctor. "I mean, shouldn’t you be getting married yourself to your fiancée?”

“What? Oh, no! She jilted me! Isn’t that brilliant! Now I can be with Rose!”

Mickey just stared at him. “You got jilted at the altar, and you’re happy ‘bout it?” The Doctor nodded grinning broadly. 

“Oh, yes! She ran off with my best man! Now please tell me where I can find Rose.”

“Man, you are a complete nutter." Mickey shook his head. "I don’t know what she sees in you. Just tell me this…Do you love her?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” the Doctor answered, annoyed that Mickey was not telling him where Rose was.

“Way I see it, it is my business. I may not be marrying her, but I care, and I’m not sending you off to break her heart so you answer me.”

The Doctor stared at Mickey’s hard eyes. “Yes, I love her,” he said with conviction. Mickey nodded. 

“All right, but if you break her heart, you’ll be hearing from me. She’s taking some time off from work to think. She walked off in that direction over there,” Mickey told him, pointing down a road “She likes the park near her flat. Likes to go there to think sometimes. You might find her there.”

“Brilliant. Thank you…Mickey.”

Mickey just gave him another hard look. “Just make her happy.”

The Doctor nodded and took off running, leaving Jack’s Porsche behind to be towed off. He soon made his way to the park, breathing heavy and rumpled. He began combing the park and praying that she would be there. After what felt like hours of searching, he found her not far from where he had been star gazing the night they first met. She was sitting on a stone bench looking out across a pond eating blue jelly babies.

He walked up and sat down next to her. She looked at him, a blue jelly baby halfway to her mouth, and her eyes widened. He smiled at her as if it was the most normal thing ever. Finally she spoke. 

“Um, shouldn’t you be getting married?”

He shrugged. “I suppose that was the plan, but I don’t do well with plans. Sort of like weddings. I’m a bit rubbish at them, especially my own, as it turns out.”

“But Joan…” Rose said, still stunned that he was here with her. She had been thinking about everything including him and how quickly she had fallen for him. It wasn’t like her. She had just felt that immediate connection. She was wondering about the wedding and how Donna was doing and truth be told, morning his loss. Having him walk up in a wrinkled tuxedo and just plop down casually as you please was like some sort of cosmic gift. These things just didn’t happen to her.

“Wellll, turns out Joan was just about as keen to marry me as I was to marry her. Matter of fact, she jilted me and ran off with my best man, who I understand you went dancing with.”

Rose looked at him confused as she processed this. 

“Joan ran off?” she finally said.

“Yep!” he said, popping his p. "With my best friend, Jack. You remember him, charming, playboy, and womanizer. Wanted to check you out apparently." Rose nearly choked on a jelly baby.

“You mean Jack Harkness? Jack Harkness was your best man, and he ran off with Joan?” Rose asked and began to grin. 

She shouldn’t be happy. It was wrong. This was a terrible thing and Sarah Jane would not be happy. She may even sack Rose. Suddenly, Rose didn’t care. The Doctor was not married or engaged and was sitting here next to her. She turned back to him and offered him a blue jelly baby. He took one and popped it in his mouth. 

“So you’re not married to Mickey, and you’re sitting here eating blue jelly babies.”

“No, I couldn’t marry Mickey, and I hear that blue jelly babies are the best because they're blue and lots of good things are blue.”

“Very wise, that." He grinned as he chewed. "I mean not marrying Mickey and about the blue jelly babies.”

“Yeah,” she said softly and stared into his eyes. “Doctor, I…”

“I love you,” he interrupted. “I know it’s fast, and I may have been a bit of prat but if you give me a chance, I could prove that I’m not really a prat. I can even be less rude. Maybe even polite if you’ll just give me a second chance, Rose Tyler."

Rose looked at him and nodded. “I love you too, Doctor. Even if you are a rude nutter.”

He grinned. “Molto bene,” he whispered and pulled her into his arms for the snog of his life. And they made out a lot!


End file.
